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Friday, October 14, 2016

First let me start off by saying, this is a truly beautiful book. The pictures are amazing, and the feel of it is so classy. It would make an excellent addition to any library or would look perfectly placed in any kitchen. That being said, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. I actually haven’t created one dish from the recipes found in this book, so I do not even know if they are worthwhile. I do know that the recipes in this book are very ingredient heavy and some of them are difficult to find. I live in a small country town, and even still I do not know where to even begin looking for some of these fruits and vegetables.

If you are a French-country chef, then this book will be right up your alley. The texture and recipes are beautiful. If you are an individual who works long hours and you are looking for something quick to impress family and friends, this may not be for you. Most of the time when I get home, it’s already after 7:00 PM and I don’t really have the time or the energy to slave over a truly impressive dessert or meal. I have about 30 minutes to make something edible happen.

The thing I really did love about this book is the author’s decision to divide sections using seasons as a guide. For example, grape, apple, pumpkin and squash recipes are all located in the fall section while fig, apricot and melon recipes are all located in the summer section. This makes it very easy to find recipes using fruits and vegetables that are in season. I also loved the author’s choice to include unique ingredients such as rhubarb, dates and fresh herbs. While this book doesn’t benefit my kitchen, I truly feel like for a much more talented chef, this book would add luxury and class to a kitchen.

Friday, April 15, 2016

I don't know about y'all, but I am so excited that Friday is upon us, even though I have to work Saturday! Today I am spending the day in Statesville helping out the branch there, so I am little far away from home! That's okay though because tomorrow at 12 noon, my weekend starts! So in celebration of Friday, I am posting five of my favorite finds from the week! Hope you enjoy them!

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

As I am writing this, I have just spent the WHOLE weekend cleaning and organizing my house. My brother-in-law couldn't tell that I had done anything, and that is okay. I can see what I have accomplished, but some days, it is hard to admit I can't do it all. I read blogs about other women who work, are great wives, great moms, AND have time to manage a blog about their awesome lives! It makes me feel pretty inadequate. I sit on my couch on Sunday night and plan out my blogging week so that when I get home from work, I don't have to really write any posts. I don't cook, and I only make time to clean on the weekends. But that is all part of the balance.

At Enterprise, we call it a work/life balance. Balance your job at work and your life a home. Sounds easy right? Not exactly. The Mount Airy branch is open from 8:00 to 5:00, but, unlike my naive expectations, those are not the hours I work. My mornings start at 6:20 AM with my alarm and it is not unusual for me to still be at the branch at 6:00 PM. Some days involve a quick drive-thru grab lunch and some days involve leftovers in the office. Most of my time spent away from the branch involves delivering and moving cars, and when those rare moments come, I am normally super thrilled. It's the little things. Most days I bring home stories of bizarre rental experiences or I have dreams of Tahoes or minivans all night. Turning it off sometimes feels impossible.

Joshua told me when I first started working that I would be "living for the weekends," but what he didn't say is that when they get here, I am normally too tired from the week to really want to do anything. I clean, go out for dinner and decorate, but my activity level is pretty low. Still though, the work/life balance is improving. With the change in the time, I feel like I am getting more done during the week, and I have started (finally) to have more energy when I get off work. I have picked up reading before bed again, and my blog is finally starting to take shape again. All of these are good things, and I am getting better (slowly). I feel like most working people struggle with work/life balances, so if this post speaks to you, here are some tips that I feel are helping.

PRIORITIZE

This sounds so simple, and it is. You just have to sit down and do it! Pick what is important to you, and make sure that goes on your list. When Joshua and I had our pre-marital counseling session, our preacher told us about how he and his wife have a date night every Friday night. At the time, that sounded cute but unnecessary for me again Joshua. As the time has gone on though, meals with Josh have become a focal point of my excitement, and I enjoy eating dinner out with him. While we do not have a set schedule yet, we do prioritize time with each other. I have found that making a "To-do" list is very beneficial. If I have something written down, I can't forget to do it. Plus, scratching that item off the list is one of the best feelings.

REALIZE YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL

I struggle with this so much. I want to do it all, but I just physically can't, and that is okay. Joshua does not expect me to cook or clean, which is great. This doesn't mean I abandon all attempts at cooking or cleaning, but I realize on Tuesday night when I am worn out that I don't have to cook dinner and Josh won't expect me to clean anything. Still, some weekends, like this weekend, it is worth putting in the effort to getting a lot of stuff done. I made my list, and it was HUGE, so I knew going in, it would be a long shot to complete that bad boy. I didn't complete it, but I knocked some big tasks off that list, and that is the best I can do. Do your best, and realize that the rest will (eventually) fall into place.

TURN IT OFF

Part of a work/life balance is to be able to turn off work. I work hard when I am at work, so I should be home when I am at home. Find ways to turn off work, and de-stress. My coworkers love to work out, so they go to the gym or go for runs with their dogs. This sounds life pure torture to me, so this is NOT how I de-stress! lol Right now, I like to go home and work in my "garden." I also read before bed every night so I can turn my mind off. Joshua and I like to watch Netflix and Hulu together and just spend the evening on the couch cuddling. All of these things are ways that you can turn work off when you are at home, and whatever works for you, that is what is important!

Work/life balance is a process, not a competition. It is something you will work for every day, and I don't think we will ever get it perfect, and that is okay. Perfection is overrated and the journey is what is important. So learn to live with work and life and learn to balance the two in a way that works for you! Good luck!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

I am so excited for another edition of Currently! The last Currently I participated in was last August, and I was actually so late that I missed the cut off date, I didn't get to link up! This month though, I have it under control! I have gotten a lot better about planning my blog entries accordingly, and paying very close attention to when group link ups are happening. I have also gotten a lot better in general just about blogging, and planning when it is all going to happen! If you want to check out the creators of this Currently linkup, just check out Gold and Bloom and Anne in Residence! I am always excited to see what they are into!

MAKING | a flower bed! We moved into our house in October, and while I have some really pretty flowers, I have this really weird flower bed. It is covered with landscaping sheets and gravel. Very strange. I am digging all this up and before too long, I will be spreading mulch and planting flowers! I especially want an herb section for cooking herbs, but I might do that in something I can bring inside during the winter! I doubt it will look like this, but one can dream!

WISHLISTING | these adirondack chairs! They are currently selling them at Lowe's Hardware for about $20 a piece! I so want some brown and red ones so that I can put them in our yard! We have this weird section of our yard that is bricked out and also covered in gravel. Eventually, I want to cut down the weird shrub in the middle, and fill the spot with mulch and some paver stepping stones. Then I can put some chairs and a little table in the middle, and have a thinking spot. Maybe I am actually wishlisting a thinking spot?

CLEANING | my whole house! lol After the grill, I realized that I apparently stress hoard and forget to cleaning during my stress period. Luckily, I have been doing a lot of pinning lately, and I found this niffy little spring cleaning post! Specifically, my week goal is get my closet organized!

POSTING | good content! lol This month, I would like to focus on posting some good strong content, and not necessarily get wrapped up in the generic posting. I would like to get better about leaving a impact on my visitors, and not specifically following a trend!

TASTING | all the goodness of spring! As part of my blogging for books, I received a free copy of Sweeter Off the Vine. It is a year-round cook book that focuses on sweets and treats for different seasons, depending on what is in season! As part of my review, I like to have recipes that I have sampled from the book, so I am getting wrapped up in the excitement of the spring fruits! Ultimately, I cannot wait to share more about this book with you, because I think I am going to love it for sure!

Monday, April 4, 2016

I cannot BELIEVE we are already in the month of April. Easter happened, the GRILL happened, and now we are moving into the next exciting phases of 2016. I am so excited about all the new adventures to come this month, and I am pretty pumped that I kept up with my goals last month!

March Goals

1 - Post more - Yay! I got a little behind there in the end due to the GRILL studying, but I did post eight times last month! I am super excited about getting back into blogging all the time. I just always have to remember in the back of my mind, that it does have a lot of hard work associated with blogging.

2 - Pass my GRILL (for work) - I DID IT!! I passed my GRILL, so I am now an official Management Assistant, not a Management Trainee!! Now I am looking for an Assistant Manager position in the surrounding areas to apply for, and then I will leave my little Mount Airy branch behind. This is both sad and exciting! I will have to keep everyone posted on where I am heading next!

3 - Get some more renovating done - YES WE DID! Back in December, we took down the wall dividing the living area and the dining area. In January, we rewired everything and in February, we officially hooked up some new plug ins and a new switch. FINALLY we wrapped a fake beam around the electrical wires, and Joshua created an open bookshelf by the door. It is beautiful! Saturday we are wanting to go look about buying our new floors, so I will have to keep you posted!

4 - Cook at home more - I did not cook more at home, but Joshua did. He has been cooking up a storm lately, and we have eaten in a lot more the past few weeks! So delicious!

5 - Plan accordingly - With studying and so much going on, we had to really coordinate our schedules. I think we did this really well this month, and we still got a lot completed!

6 - Finish at least 1 book - That is all I finished! lol I was reading The Hundred Foot Journey and I finished it in the middle of the month. It started off as a really well written book, but by the time I finished the book, I felt like the story I wanted to read ended about 100 pages back. Even still, I did complete this goal!

See?? I totally conquered this month! lol I really want to do the same goals again for this month, but I guess I need to switch up April a little!

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Today we have a blog post that I actually started a few months ago! Betsy from Heavens to Betsy does a monthly prompt and linkup call The Guys Behind the Blog. Normally she posts the questions a month ahead, but she didn't have anything for this month. That is why I am using the questions from the post I never finished! lol Thanks Betsy for giving me some time to catch up! lol Anyway, here is a look into Josh's perspective.

1. How did you meet your significant other?

Which one? *ha* We went to high school together. Then years later, I was coaching basketball, and I saw Tricia's sister, and I asked, "Do you have a sister named Tricia?" It was all uphill from there!

2. What is your top love language? What is your significant other's love language?

I show Tricia I love her by having a home cooked meal when she gets home from work. I feel like Tricia shows she loves me when she lets me watch sports and the political debates.

3. If you're engaged or married, how did you propose? If you are not, how did you ask your girl out?

I proposed to Tricia at an overlook in Raleigh looking at the Raleigh skyline.

4. Share a funny wedding story with us - it could be from your own or one you attended.

At our wedding, everyone blames me for making everyone cry. Tricia's family normally does all the crying, but at our wedding, they were all fine until they saw me crying.

5. On the topic of love, who was your childhood crush?

What time in my childhood? Probably Angela. She was my sister's friend. I was like five years old. She is my friend on Facebook. She was hot or cute or...I don't know!

I don't know about you other ladies that do these posts, but sometimes I feel like I am pulling teeth to get an answer. I think Josh's go to is "I don't know." lol But don't worry, I always get something out of him!

Monday, March 21, 2016

This month has been all about cleaning and organizing for me and Josh. We are building on our new house yes, but we are also sorting through all of our stuff. One of the first things you will notice when you walk into our house is how many things are still in boxes and in the "storage room" slash guest bedroom. Or worse. How much stuff is still in my car. When you get married, your stuff gets married too. If you have never considered how much you have, you might want to when you first get engaged. Not after you buy the house and move in! lol

When we got married, I quickly began to realize how much stuff we had and how much of it was NOT going to fit in our house. No matter how many bookcases Joshua builds me! lol A lot of my day is spent on Pinterest trying to find great storage solutions, but I think we are beyond storage. Sometimes, you just have to admit that you are going to have to get rid of a few things!

While I am no expert at cleaning and organizing, here are a few tips I have found that help you get started when it comes to purging your house and finding a place for everything your need.

You don't have to just follow along. The first thing all the expert tell you to get rid of is the "sentimental stuff" like cards and pictures. Personally, this practice breaks my heart! I have a collection of newspapers with important events in my life, and I tend to have a lot of cards from my family and friends. This is not an impossible thing to keep. For example, I kept the newspaper with my Paw Paw's obituary in it, sympathy cards, Christmas cards, graduation cards, wedding cards and so many more paper sentiments in a small clear shoebox I bought for $1.99 at Walmart. It has a lid, it stacks, and more importantly, it has reminders of my life, and things my grandchildren will want to see and hold when they grow up. Joshua has a similar shoe box filled with pictures of his family through the years. Just because an expert tells you it is a waste of space to keep it, doesn't mean you have to follow along. If it means something to you, then it will mean something to the people who love you, so find a way to store it and don't beat yourself up about keeping it!

If it looks like junk, then it is a junk drawer. There is so much truth in this statement. I have several "junk" drawers. They are drawers that contain important stuff that I use, but because they look junkie, they make it easy for me to lose things that I don't need to keep. Like screws that fall out of Joshua's pockets in the wash. You can buy silverware organizers for cheap at dollar stores along with other cheap organizing trays and boxes. One of my favorite things to use are my Birchbox boxes! Get creative, but be sure you can see everything in your drawer. If they are spots for junk to accumulate in, it will accumulate. So know this and use it to your advantage!

If you don't use it, donate it. If you are a sentimental person like me, this makes decluttering bearable. It makes me feel like I am giving my stuff new life! My favorite thing to do is to pick out clothes and things to take to Goodwill. I know I love my clothes, but sometimes I just can't make them fit! If I can't wear it, then it is just taking up space in my closet. Same thing with my books. I have so many that I love and reread over and over again, but I have a lot that I just wanted to give away. My community has a lending library which is where people give their books to the community. You can take a book or give yours away. It is a great idea and it helps you clean off space on your bookshelves!

Like I said, my advice it not expert, but it will at least help you get your feet wet when it comes to combining yours, mine and ours.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Today I am linking up with Kiki over at in its time for the monthly #thecirclelinkup. This month is all about Spring Break and goals and plans for our week away from the world! Unfortunately, with work and the upcoming GRILL, Joshua and I are not planning a Spring Break trip. But if we were...

Monday, March 14, 2016

Spring is in the air here in Pilot Mountain, NC. The temps are in the 70s, and most days are sunny and beautiful! Last Thursday, I actually built a campfire and sat out and enjoyed the sounds of the peepers. Even though I didn't have any marshmallows, it was wonderful!

One of my friends works for an app company called Photofy. If you don't know anything about Photofy, it is actually pretty awesome. Photofy is a Raleigh based company that helps users create the best social content through photo enhancements. It is kind of like Instagram, but with different overlays that you can purchase within the app. Really super awesome!

I was out in my yard the other evening, and I noticed that my daffodils are blooming. Since we moved into our house in October, I wasn't really sure what all flowers I would have or wouldn't have. I didn't know if I would have these beautiful spring flowers, so I was pretty excited when I did. I picked a couple and put them in a mason jar, and as I was looking for the perfect Photofy overlay, I stumbled on this one. "Life in full bloom."

Since I started working full time, I have really felt time fly by me, and for a long time, I have felt like I have missed life. I felt like I have missed the every day living that I used to do in Raleigh. Everyone keeps telling me how much my life has changed since last year, but until I read this phrase, it didn't click. I have be hard on myself because I expect myself to be the perfect wife, perfect working woman, and the perfect blogger. I have felt like I am waiting for life to happen, but what I realized is that I am living in full bloom.

My life is a whirlwind of events, and like any ebb and flow, things are going to come easy and things are going to need effort. I don't know what is coming next, just like I didn't know if I would have daffodils, and yet here they are in full bloom. Regardless of what happens in my day, week, month or year, my life is in full bloom, and I have to remember to thank God for placing me where I need to be. I need to thank Him for giving me the full bloom life to go where I need to go and do what He needs me to do.

It is funny how life just hits you like that. One minute you are editing a picture of the flowers from your garden, and the next you are having a revelation about the ebb and flow of the every day adventures. Crazy how God tells us what we need to hear!

Where did God speak to you this weekend?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

Tricia

***All opinions in this post are mine. I was not paid for my review and opinions of Photofy.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

It has been a while since I have done one of these posts, which is interesting because they are some of my favorite! I love just being able to express what I am thinking, and I don't have to have an organized method to my madness!! I can just say, "World, here is what I am thinking," and y'all just go along with it! lol March is always one of those months because it involves so much change.

Studying for the GRILL. Working for Enterprise is pretty awesome, but it comes with some exams too. This month I am taking my final one as a management trainee, and it is lovingly call the GRILL. Because it is a grill! Due to rules, I can't go into any details or post any pictures of my notes...so instead, I am posting a picture of an actual grill. I think this picture describes what I am in for. Thank you Keep On Amazing!

Making friends is hard, but I have some of the best! When I first moved home, Joshua told me to make some new friends and find people to hang out with. I tried to hook back up with old friends, and I also tried to find new ones in new places. I will save you the suspense...making new friends is hard!! I am already pretty blessed though! Even though so many of my friends are still in the Raleigh area...I am still so fortunate to have them.

For example, yesterday I had a really stressful day at work. I was so upset and came home in tears to find a letter from one of my friends, Amanda. She literally sent me a note to thank me for being her friend. Somehow, your friends know what you need when you need it. Shout out to Amanda and all my friends in Raleigh. Y'all are still the best!

I am so over politics and basketball. There. I said it. I am ready for football season again!! lol Josh is constantly watching debates and basketball. I am ready for something different...the kind that tackles you in a different way. You know what I mean? Seriously.

This weather. It is PHENOMENAL!! Tuesday was 70 degrees and sunny! I think I should totally rent a convertible, and drive off into the sunset. Buh-bye work!! Hello beach!! I also definitely stole this picture from my sister, Merritt. Thanks Sissy!

Don't forget the time change! The time changes this weekend and where we lose an hour of sleep, we gain an hour of daylight! That means after work fishing and outdoor housework. It also means more time after work to do stuff! Fun stuff...like being outside! lol I am excited to see our little house this Spring and see what all adventures it brings!

Life is all about the adventures, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the week brings!

Monday, March 7, 2016

I finished reading Thresholds by Sherre Hirsch several months ago, and I haven't been able to write a good review for it. Let me first tell you what this book is about.

Sherre Hirsch uses "thresholds"to describe transitions in life. These transitions can be anything from graduating college to starting a new job, or from starting a relationship to building a family. Life is full of changes and crossing the "threshold" into a new "room" in your life can be intimidating.

Sherre Hirsch is a rabbi, and she ties many references from the Old Testament into this book. Unfortunately for me, the second chapter of the book, "Faith in God is Not Required," was not a philosophy I could get behind. I feel like from that chapter onward, my view was skewed.

With so many changes in my life, I thought this book would be comforting, and offer insight to devotions I could do to help me feel better about change. This is not the case with this book. Rabbi Hirsch gives several examples of how your life will change whether your like it or not. I am not a person to bash someone else's writing, so I would recommend that you make your own decision about Thresholds. Personally, I did not find it as helpful in my transitions as I wanted, but it may very well speak to someone else who need is different than mine.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

I felt bad that I wasn't blogging when we got married because I felt like our wedding was such a huge part of my life and I didn't let y'all in. In some ways though, it also felt more intimate because it didn't have all the comments and likes. It was just between me, Joshua and our family and friends! With today marking our five month anniversary, I had a little different feeling about our wedding! I want y'all to see it! Even if it is just through pictures! So here are some of my favorites from the wedding!!

On the right, we filled window shutters with old pictures of people who were able to attend the wedding, and people who watched us from above. Our guests got a kick out of seeing themselves through the years!

I love, love, love my bridal portraits(top right)! My mom took them for me in our field and in one of them, you can see our cows in the background watching! Our hashtag (left) was #ourhauserstory and we opted for cupcakes and one cake to cut (bottom right).

My sister Merritt had to help me put on my boots (top left) and she got tickled because my socks didn't match! I am such a procrastinator that I didn't write my vows until the night before the wedding (bottom right)!

Joshua can say the same thing! His groomsmen had his back (top left)! Josh was on the phone during some of his family pictures (bottom right). Typical!

Joshua and I held hands and prayed before the wedding (top left). We couldn't see each other, but it felt so good to hold his hand and calm my nerves! We had a wrap station for a reception, so leave it to me to make a punny sign (top right). We were going to get married outside, but with the rain, we were able to move our whole wedding into the barn (bottom right).

Funny story. My dad and I left the house where we got ready and walked outside to the barn without getting a single drop of rain on us (top left). As soon as we got in the barn, the bottom dropped out and it started raining cats and dogs!! Joshua and I were so nervous, that our minister, Russ, told us to look at our guests and wave (top middle). It definitely lightened our mood, and helped us relax!

My dad and I danced to "Daddy's Money" because we would be crying if we chose a sentimental song (top middle). Josh's best man and nephew, Danny, gave such a sweet toast, that they wasn't a dry eye in the house (bottom right).

I initiated the cake smoosh (top left and middle)!! It was worth it!! Our sendoff was with glow sticks (top right). After our "sendoff," I went in the manor house and changed into a shorter dress that I could dance and move in.

So there you have it friends! A look into our wedding day! It was a blast, to say the least!! I will have to share with y'all our honeymoon adventures because they were awesome too! Happy five months of marriage Joshua! I can't believe we are still married (there is a story there...I will tell y'all soon!!)!!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

I am starting to get back into my blogging, and so I am starting to plan everything accordingly, and hopefully I can keep up with a schedule! Either way, I totally missed October-February goals, and I missed my 2015 reflection on goals!! So this post is going to hopefully catch everything up! lol

For 2015, I had three main goals. I knew a bunch of things would change, and I wanted to make my goals simple to help keep me focused. My 2015 goals were:

1 - Be Healthy
2 - Plan Accordingly
3 - Be Happy

I think I completed them pretty well! I realize they are simple goals, but they were perfect for me!

2016 Goals

1 - Continue being healthy

I have already lost 4 dress sizes, and I would like to see that continue!

2 - Learn to be patient with myself

As a new wife and a working woman, I am pretty tough on myself for not being able to do it all. I need to learn to celebrate my successes and not be weighted down by my failures.

3 - Embrace the change

I have so many new changes going on in my life and I am the one who screams "NOOOO!!!" when the change starts happening!

4 - Find the happiness

Happiness is what you make and you have to choose to be happy...every day!

These are simple too, but I like that! Simple is how I am rolling this year! lol

As for my last "Month Goals," that was back in September! Let's check out those goals!

September Goals

1. Complete wedding plans - I got married, so I am going to say this was a success!! Now I just need to post about our wedding and give y'all all the details!

2. Post more - Ironically, this was my last post before the one on Sunday. I am going to say that this one is not a success!

3. Book honeymoon flights - We went to Key West, Cozumel and Disney!! So that definitely got done!!

4. Be happy with where God has me - I have learned that, and I was already there when I posted that. I just wanted to get better at it, but I think that is a lifetime journey. As long as you are willing to work on it, it will be successful!

5. Learn to "Let It Go" - I didn't conquer this, but I have come a long way from where I started!

6. Read more - I ended up only reading 15 books in 2015, but that is more than I had in September! Once we moved into the house, I got back in the habit of reading before bed every night!

Yay! Successes all around! I can't believe I missed October through February, but I will try to be better this month! I think March is starting off better already!

Sunday, February 28, 2016

I haven't written anything since September of last year, and that friends has been too long! I have missed my blog, but my life kind of took over, and I didn't make time to blog. Truth be told, so much has happened, I didn't really know where to begin. I guess the best place to start, is the beginning!

In September...

Josh turned 29!

Our friends had a baby!

I turned 25!

We got ready for the wedding!

We bought a house!

In October...

WE GOT MARRIED!!

We honeymooned in Key West and Mexico!

And DISNEY!

We moved into our house!

We celebrated our first holiday together!

In November...

My sister turned 18!

My Paw Paw had a heart attack and was admitted into the hospital

We went on our first married getaway since our honeymoon!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with both families, and sick family members!

(And didn't take any pictures!!!)

We bought our first Christmas tree!

In December...

We decorated our house, and I got to show my Paw Paw our decorations!

We learned to live life with a hospital visiting schedule to see my Paw Paw as much as we could.

We celebrated our last Christmas Eve with my Paw Paw, and we had our annual Christmas Eve Lovefeast at Bethania!

We celebrated our first married Christmas!

My dad turned 54!

We rang in our first New Year as a married couple!

In January...

Paw Paw got to see 2016, and we said "Good-bye for now," a few days later. We were so blessed to have through the holiday season, and I am so thankful he did not suffer for a long time!

My parents' barn burnt down!!!

We took my parents and sister to Wilmington, NC for their first visit!

We experienced our first snowfall of the winter, and got to take some pictures of our house in the snow!

We hung out with my family!

In February...

We spent our first married Valentine's Day together!

Josh started his own business!

We celebrated four years together!

We fell in love with Chip & JoJo, and we started really working on our fixer upper!

All in all...

2015 was a year of bigger changes than we had originally anticipated. We knew my graduation, my new job and our marriage would be big changes we would face, but my Paw Paw's heart attack and death were game changers we were not prepared for. I haven't felt like writing because I have felt like my life is upside down. I am working 50 hours a week, and I have just found excuse after excuse to keep from sitting down and documenting this time.

I started blogging for myself. I wanted to keep a record of what has happened in my life, and how I felt. After Paw Paw got sick, I didn't want to remember the bad, only the good, but I just couldn't write. That seems heavy, but my heart wasn't ready to admit that we would never go back to the way things were. My heart is still heavy from loss, but I am starting to find my hope and spirit again.

In that hope, I am wanting to start my writing again. Friends, I have missed being a blogger. I have missed putting my thoughts to words and having a paper trail of my adventures! This will be slow, and it will be hard, but friends this is a journey. Thank you for all of you who have walked it with me, and thank you for all the patience to come. Together, we have crossed a point in our journey where everything is different and there is no going back. We are on the other side of 2015 and a good way into 2016, and in the words of Joanna Gains, "Today is a good day for a good day!"